CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND.- The Art & Industry Biennial Trust is launching the fourth
SCAPE 2006 Biennial of Art in Public Space . New Zealands only international contemporary art biennial dedicated to public art. Unique for 2006 is the pairing of a national and international curator who will develop an overall strategy for SCAPE. Natasha Conland (New Zealand) and Susanne Jaschko (Germany) have devised an entirely new thematic direction for Art & Industrys SCAPE 2006 Biennial of Art in Public Space. Their title for the SCAPE 2006 Biennial is dont misbehave!. Playfully alluding to the unspoken rules for art in public space, this title alerts audiences to how art might alter an audiences behaviour and experience of public space. As an imperative dont misbehave! implies an ironic opposition in the face of this voice of authority. The curators are looking for work by artists who enjoy actively engaging their audiences, stimulating their perceptions of public space. dont misbehave! runs for a 6-week period, during which Christchurchs public space will work as an interface between artists and audiences, creating a highly active environment and festival-like atmosphere within the urban area of the city. Within this context all parties, artists and audiences must decide how they want to behave in relation to the event! SCAPE 2006 dont misbehave! will include an outdoor and indoor exhibition of three-dimensional, performative, sound and time-based art. Within these parameters, dont misbehave! will invoke a diverse understanding of arts interaction with the public and public spaces. Traditionally the realm of three-dimensional practice, dont misbehave! will look at all existing infrastructure and facilities, physical and non-physical which inform a contemporary understanding of the public and their sphere of activity. dont misbehave! is an impressive programme which reflects the Trusts philosophical goal of pairing art with industry; acknowledging and articulating this unique relationship while delivering a distinctive national/international outcome for Christchurch.